


Reality in Your Eyes

by ThatBohoFemme



Series: I Believe in a Thing Called Love [6]
Category: World Wrestling Entertainment
Genre: Developing Relationship, Disguise, Episode Tag, F/M, Falling In Love, Hurt/Comfort, Light Angst, Literal Sleeping Together, Post-RAW 2/26, Promises, post Elimination Chamber
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-07
Updated: 2018-03-07
Packaged: 2019-03-28 06:47:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,457
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13898556
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThatBohoFemme/pseuds/ThatBohoFemme
Summary: Maybea disguise was overkill but one could never tell when it came to Mr. Braun Strowman.Elias sighed, approaching Bayley's room. It would be a miracle if she recognized him. This was so stupid. Had his pride really been more important than his safety?After running from the arena last week, Elias comes back, ready to check in on Bayley after everything that's gone on in the past 48 hours.





	Reality in Your Eyes

**Author's Note:**

> Beta credit to the Lovely Candis.

Elias adjusted the sunglasses and Fedora, certain he was recognizable, despite the assurances of the Target cashier that he "looked like a new man." He adjusted the blue flannel shirt, doing his best to ignore the cheap, scratchy fabric. He felt awkward as the sleeves strained against his upper arms, a reminder of the reason he avoided sleeves at all costs. Staring down, he adjusted the too-big khaki pants and the belt. The brown loafers fit fine but they annoyed him.

_Maybe_ a disguise was overkill but one could never tell when it came to Mr. Braun Strowman. 

Elias sighed, approaching Bayley's room. It would be a miracle if she recognized him. This was so stupid. Had his pride really been more important than his safety? 

"It seemed like _such_ a good idea," he mumbled, knocking on her door. She didn't open the door, despite the fact he could hear her on the other side of the door. "Save my ass. Run. Should have known he'd be pissed..." He sighed, knocking louder for the second try. "At least she's taking my advice." He knocked a third time, still louder than his previous tries. Grumbling to himself, he glanced around. 

He didn't _think_ Braun was anywhere near, so it seemed okay to remove the hat and glasses. He shook out his hair since he had shoved it under the hat. He ran his trembling hands through it, hoping it hadn't frizzed too badly. 

_You're ducking a mad man and yet, you're being vain._ he thought, knocking again. 

"YOU'RE CREEPY FEDORA MAN?" Bayley's voice grew loud and shrill as she opened the door a crack. "I was about to call the police!" 

"Can you yell at me in the safety of your room?" Elias pled. He waited until she opened the door as wide as she could and rushed in. "Thank you." He avoided her stare as she took in the strange outfit. 

"What's with the outfit? Leaving your career in the ring to go work at the bank?" Bayley stood back, her hand resting on her hip and taking in the terrible outfit. Her other hand hid her mouth, doing her best to hide the fact she dissolved into peals of laughter. 

"Would you believe I ran right out of the arena and straight to the nearest Target?" Elias shed the flannel shirt and the khakis as he kicked the shoes off. He stripped down to nothing but a white sleeveless undershirt and Pink Floyd boxer shorts. "And no, I'm not stripping because I expect anything. I hate wearing clothes like that." 

"No complaints here." Bayley stepped back, holding up both hands. Then, she giggled, moving up to him. She draped her arms around his neck and came up on tiptoe to kiss him. 

“I should find this odd,” Elias mumbled between kisses. He gently threaded her hair between his fingers as he tried to keep up with her. 

“What?” Bayley asked, pulling back. Her eyes shone with light and mischief. 

“I’m kissing you in my underwear,” Elias commented, releasing her hair and caressing her cheek. “It’s a strange experience for me.” 

Bayley giggled, leaning into his touch. “Tell me about your disguise.”

“My disguise?” Elias stared at the clothing on the floor. “Bought it at Target.” He shrugged, his lips turning up in the faintest smirk. “Just shopped the clearance section for anything and everything, except the Fedora and glasses.” 

“You rebel,” Bayley teased, steering him toward the bed. “I _did_ think you were an ax murderer for a second.” She laughed, gently shoving him down on the bed. She squeaked as he grabbed her around the waist.

“Well, that’s reassuring. I was afraid it was a bad disguise.” He pulled so she landed on the bed next to him. As soon as she hit the mattress, she struggled a little to escape his grasp, laughing the entire time. Finally, she gave in, wrapping her arm around his middle and resting her head on his chest. 

“What the hell were you thinking?” she asked, gazing up. Her eyes seemed... _worried_. 

“Didn’t want to get slammed again?” He rested his chin on the top of her head. Somehow, this had become their _usual_ position. He wasn’t sure why- it just seemed to work. “Why?” 

“I _need_ you to promise me something,” implored Bayley, wrapping her arm tighter around his waist. 

“What’s that?”

"Promise me you'll stop taking stupid risks." Bayley's energy took on a serious twinge. "I lo-I mean- like you a whole lot and the last thing I want is to lose you due to sheer stupidity." 

Elias nodded, inhaling and exhaling several times. He hadn't meant to scare her. 

"I'm sorry, Bay," he murmured, pressing a kiss to her forehead.

"It's okay- I just don't want to have to tell our kids that Daddy's not coming home..." 

Our kids? Had he heard her correctly? 

"We have kids?" he asked, blurting out the first thought coming to mind. He watched her turn from her normal color to a dark shade of crimson. 

"God, I can't believe I said that." She scrambled out of his arms and curled herself into a ball, covering her head with her hands. "I am so sorry." 

Elias resisted the urge to drive his palm into his face. Maybe he was weird but he didn't see _anything_ wrong with what she'd said. 

After all, he'd declared the woman he'd marry on their first night together. 

He was the _last_ person to make any judgment on moving too fast. 

"Bay, look at me." Elias pulled her hands back from her face and gently tilted her head up, using two fingers under her chin. "Why are you upset?" He sighed, their eyes connecting. 

"Because I just said something really stupid?" Her hand flew back to her face and she stared at him through splayed fingers. 

"I don't think it was a stupid thing to say," Elias admitted, pulling her hand away from her face and taking her back into his arms. 

"We _just_ started whatever this is." She leaned against him. "Isn't it a little soon to start discussing our future hypothetical children?" 

"No." He tightened his grasp on her, bringing his lips close to her ear. "This may be a stupid thing to admit but I called you my future wife on our first night together." 

He hoped the comment hadn't seemed too forward. 

"Really?" she asked, her fingers lightly grazing the top of his hand. 

"Really." Elias shrugged. "Don't ask me why." He was surprised to find he longed to say the three little words he'd never had any desire to say before. 

Yet, he resisted. It seemed too soon. It seemed like a _perfect_ way to scare her off. 

He kept quiet. 

"Funny. I thought the same thing- not for awhile though." Bayley twined their hands together, and brought his hand to her lips as she pressed a gentle kiss to the back of it. 

The butterflies started fluttering, coming to life in his core. What was it about her that set them off? 

"Do you want to talk about what happened with Sa-" Her finger grazed his lips, a sign to hush. 

"No. Just _no_." Bayley shook her head, pressing herself closer to him. She gripped his shirt in her hands, wincing at the feel of the coarse fabric. "Take this off." She squeezed her eyes, clearly not liking the shirt. "I don't want to do a thing. Just need to feel your skin." 

Elias pulled his shirt off, not thinking twice at her odd request. He was sure that there was nothing he wouldn't do for her. Then, he groped blindly on the nightstand, looking for the light switch. 

The light went off with an audible click. He laid back, holding her against him. Her head rested on his chest, just above his heart. Her hair fanned out around her, blocking her face. 

He pretended he couldn't feel her crying. 

_Bay, if only you could see yourself the way I do, you'd have no reason to cry over Sasha._ he thought, running his fingers through her hair. 

"I'm sorry," she whimpered, drying her eyes with the underside of her thumb. "I don't know what happened. I just wish this had never..." 

"Shh. Go to sleep. You'll feel better in the morning." Elias hated seeing her upset. There wasn't anything he wouldn't do for her so it was particularly painful for her to be this upset. 

"Night." 

Before long, she fell asleep, her breathing evening out as she softly snored. As soon as she was out, it seemed okay to allow himself to give in and rest. 

On the verge of sleep himself, he couldn't resist whispering. 

_I love you._

-fin-


End file.
